EPSON’s new Open Innovation Centre Lab explores the ‘new normal’

Technology companies are exploring ways to find new relevance in the post-lockdown world, probing possibilities that address changed working patterns, travel and networks. EPSON has established its new Open Innovation Centre research laboratory at its AiCT ICT offices, in which the company will work with partners to help find solutions to societal issues. Using the internet, cloud and other digital networks, EPSON aims to seamlessly integrate products such as printers, scanners, and projectors together with services to offer solutions that help solve issues faced by society.

Against a background of changing societal requirements due to the Covid pandemic, the company is in particular looking to create new value in more enriched experiences in lifestyles, learning, working and the home. Against this background, the city of Aizuwakamatsu in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, has launched its Smart City Aizuwakamatsu programme at which it aims to harness ICT to foster the growth of a sustainable and revitalised city that supports fulfilled and comfortable lifestyles. EPSON established its new research lab after noticing significant synergies with the city’s efforts to forge a partnership among the municipality, residents and university to promote a digital transformation.